Dear Fairfax County community,

Happy fall! We hope you are enjoying our new branch hours and can take advantage of programming through our new hybrid approach: some events in person and some online. As we continue operating amid a pandemic, we appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we adapt our processes to safely provide services. 

As of now, we have a busy autumn planned. For National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 28, we are partnering with the League of Women Voters to hold registration drives in some of our branches.

Continuing our civic engagement, we invite you to join us virtually Oct. 6 to learn from Richard Rothstein, author of The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America. Cosponsored by our partners from the county’s One Fairfax equity office, the event will feature Mr. Rothstein’s discussion of how U.S. government policy intentionally promoted and enforced residential racial segregation.

Our Diversity and Inclusion Programming Committee is working diligently to put together programming highlighting both Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, and Native American Heritage Month in November. 

In library world, October is known as TeenTober, a national event that serves to celebrate teens, promote young adult literature and highlight programming for this age group. This year, our Teen Film Festival is scheduled for Oct. 15, and we’ll also have a virtual gallery of Teen Cover Art Contest entries available for viewing and voting. On Oct. 22, meet Jeff Zentner, author of young adult titles The Serpent King, Goodbye Days, Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee and In the Wild Light. 

Be sure to check in with your local branches, our website and social media for details about these events and other updates.

Keep reading for more of what we have planned this fall!

Jessica A. Hudson
Director
Fairfax County Public Library